We see Jesus,
who was made a little lower than the angels
for the suffering of death,
crowned with glory and honour.
Hebrews 2:9
Reconciliation
Notes of an address by
D W Paterson
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
1982
Part 1 of 5
±±±
I would like to ask you to turn with me tonight to several scriptures.
Ephesians 4:17, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 1:19, Luke 15:20, Romans 5:10 -
I expect you discern that the subject tonight is reconciliation. Some teachers think this is the great pervading doctrine of the New Testament. Good for the youngest, a marvelous subject for the oldest.
Now I would like to look into this matter and try to understand the meaning of reconciliation We get that which from the dictionary. Most of us I should say understand reconciliation is to put things right. But the Christian knows that there is a standard and I think the best definition we can give of reconciliation is to put things right according to God.
Nine times the word is used in the King James, seven of these occasions it is the word for atonement. And until the Lord Jesus came into manhood there couldn't be a proper understanding of this wonderful matter of reconciliation.
It is a New Testament word and I think you will find that it’s not only a New Testament word but it is a Pauline word. And moreover Paul uses it only for gentiles, only in the gentile epistles do you find this matter of reconciliation.
Now I thought tonight with our eyes firmly fixed on Christ, we might see
It is not found in the Old Testament. It is only found in the New Testament and only in Paul’s writings to gentiles. For some reason the word has often been translated atonement.
Until Christ came into the world there could not be a proper understanding of what this wonderful truth of reconciliation is.
We will look at reconciliation under five headings.
1. The great need of reconciliation.
2. The ministry of reconciliation.
3. The basis for reconciliation.
4. The scope of reconciliation.
5. The results of reconciliation.
We will start with:
1. The great need of reconciliation.
The need of reconciliation is so great because we all have been alienated from the life of God. None of us understand the distance we became away from God until we know the nearness that we have been brought. Only those who understand the love of God can understand the awfulness of alienation from the life of God.
The one chapter that brings before us the need is Ephesians chapter 4. It brings before us seven features that mark man away from God.
the vanity of their mind,
the understanding darkened,
the ignorance that is in them,
the blindness of their heart:
being past feeling have
given themselves over unto lasciviousness,
to work all uncleanness with greediness.
This will remind us of a passage in 1 Corinthians 6 verse 11
“And such were some of you:” - now we must say such were all of us.
This awful situation called for divine intervention in order to bring us into suitability to God. You will remember in Genesis where sin came in awful havoc was wrought in Adam’s reign. In Genesis 2 man was pronounced in creation as very good. In chapter six I am afraid that such was the devastation that it repented the Lord that He had made man, it grieved Him at His heart.
The same story is told out in Romans chapter one. Man gave up God and God gave up man. In the third chapter you will remember how the story is continued stating there is none righteous none good none that seeketh after God. And in the fifth chapter when we come to the matter of reconciliation we are described as enemies. It does us good to have a good understanding as to what we are belonging to Adam’s race.
This all comes under the heading of the need for reconciliation.
±±±
We hope you found this article interesting. We send out our material to the Lord's people, not in any party spirit but, in the spirit of the one body, seeking that it might be a blessing to all. Other helpful items can be found on our web site WeSeeJesus.com.
May the Lord bless and encourage you to go on in the pathway of faith for His glory.
Yours in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Don Lewis